Hedychium plant ‘CHEN XI’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hedychium  plant named ‘CHEN XI’ is disclosed characterized by robust plants with resistance to  Pyricularia zingiberi  (Ginger Blast). Inflorescences are dense and composed of attractive salmon and yellow flowers with orange-red anthers. The new variety is useful as an ornamental plant in warm, wet climates.

Latin name of the genus and species: Hedychium hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘CHEN XI’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar, Hedychium ‘CHEN XI’, is the product of a planned breeding program. The intent of the breeding program was to produce new ornamental ginger varieties for landscape purposes with improved resistance to diseases and pests in hot, wet climates. The new variety originated from a cross pollination of an unpatented, seed parent, Hedychium coronarium ‘White Ginger’ with the pollen parent an unpatented, unnamed variety of Hedychium coccienum x gardnerianum. The cross pollination was made during March of 2004 in Guangdong Province, China at a research nursery. The new cultivar ‘CHEN XI’ was selected in December of 2007 at the same location.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘CHEN XI’ was first performed by division in Guangdong Province at a research nursery May of 2008. Hedychium ‘CHEN XI’ has since produced multiple generations and has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘CHEN XI’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘CHEN XI’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘CHEN XI’ as a new and distinct Hedychium cultivar:

-   -   1. Usefulness as landscape plant in warm and wet climates.     -   2. Strong plants resistant to Pyricularia zingiberi (ginger         blast).     -   3. Ornamental flowers of salmon and yellow with orange-red         anthers.     -   4. Densely flowering inflorescences.

PARENTAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘CHEN XI’ are similar to plants of the seed parent in most horticultural characteristics. However, plants of the new cultivar ‘CHEN XI’ differ in the following:

-   -   1. Hedychium ‘CHEN XI’ produces inflorescences of salmon and         yellow; the seed parent produces white inflorescences.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘CHEN XI’ are similar to the pollen parent in most horticultural characteristics. However, plants of the new cultivar ‘CHEN XI’ differ in the following:

-   -   1. Hedychium ‘CHEN XI’ ornamental petaloids not found on the         pollen parent.     -   2. Lateral corolla lobes and the labellum of Hedychium ‘CHEN XI’         are darker in color than those of the pollen parent.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

The new cultivar ‘CHEN XI’ can be compared to the unpatented commercial variety Hedychium coccienum ‘Anne Bishop’. Plants of the new cultivar ‘CHEN XI’ differ in the following:

-   -   1. Plants of Hedychium ‘CHEN XI’ are shorter than plants of         ‘Anne Bishop’.     -   2. Individual flowers of Hedychium ‘CHEN XI’ are larger than         flowers of ‘Anne Bishop’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate in full color typical plants of ‘CHEN XI’ grown outdoors, in the ground in Guangdong Province, China. The photographs were taken using conventional techniques and equipment. While the colors in these photographs may display variances of color as compared to the living cultivar, due to LRV (light reflectance value), they are as accurate as possible using conventional photographic techniques. Colors in the photographs may appear to differ slightly from the color values cited in the botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Hedychium plant. Temperatures ranged from approximately 12° C. to 38° C. night and day. No artificial light, photoperiodic treatments or chemical treatments were given to the plants.

FIG. 1 illustrates in full color a typical of plant of Hedychium ‘CHEN XI’ at approximately 12 months.

FIG. 2 illustrates in full color a typical inflorescence of Hedychium ‘CHEN XI’.

FIG. 3 illustrates in full color typical flowers of Hedychium ‘CHEN XI’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe ‘CHEN XI’ plants in a commercial greenhouse in Guangdong Province, China. Average day temperature was around 25° C.; average night temperature was around 18° C. No artificial light, photoperiodic treatments or chemical treatments were given to the plants. Natural light conditions were full sunlight. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plant types. Measurements were taken during November of 2020.

-   Botanical classification: Hedychium hybrid ‘CHEN XI’.

PROPAGATION

-   Type of propagation typically used: Division from side shoots. About     7 days at temperatures above 15° C.

PLANT

-   Age of plant described: Approximately 12 months. -   Container size of the plant described: Field planted. -   Growth habit: Tropical and subtropical perennial composed of an     herbaceous pseudostem. Columnar in shape. Flowering from July until     December with the most blooms occurring September through November. -   Height: Average range 135 to 150 cm. -   Plant spread: Approximately 50 cm. -   Growth rate: Moderate. -   Branching characteristics: No branching. -   Root description: Cylindrical rhizomes. 30 to 50 cm long, 5 mm in     diameter. Fleshy, colored near Yellow-White 158B.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, single.         -   Average length.—Average 40 cm.         -   Average width.—7.0 cm.         -   Shape of blade.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Wedge-shaped.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Attachment.—Sessile sheath.         -   Texture of top surface.—Glabrous, leathery.         -   Texture of bottom surface.—Glabrous. Main vein has a slight             pubescence.         -   Appearance of top surface.—Matte.         -   Appearance of bottom surface.—Matte.         -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: Near RHS Green 141C. Young             foliage, under side: Near RHS Green 137C. Mature foliage             upper side: Near RHS Green 141C. Mature foliage, under side:             Near RHS Green 137C.         -   Venation.—Type: Linear. Venation color upper side: Near             Green 138C. Venation color under side: Near Green 137C. -   Sheath:     -   -   Average length.—Approximately 1 cm.         -   Average diameter.—Approximately 5 mm.         -   Color.—Upper surface: Near Yellow-Green N144B. Lower             surface: Near Yellow-Green N144B.         -   Texture.—Glabrous.

FLOWER

-   Natural flowering season: Flowering from July until December with     the most blooms occurring September through November. -   Inflorescence type and habit: Short spicate, typically with 60 to 70     flowers. 1 inflorescence per plant. Individual flowers     papilionaceous, held upright. -   Inflorescence longevity as a cut flower: 4 to 5 days. -   Flower longevity on plant: Individual flower 1 day.     -   -   Total inflorescence size.—Height: Approximately 12 to 15 cm.             Width: Approximately 10 cm.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Papilionaceous. Longevity: 1 day.             Size: Length: Approximately 8 cm. Width: Approximately 4.5             cm to 5 cm. Tube Length: Approximately 4.5 cm. Tube             Diameter: Approximately 0.2 cm. Throat Diameter:             Approximately 0.2 cm. -   Lateral corolla lobe:     -   -   Quantity.—3.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Shape.—Narrow spatulate.         -   Apex.—Gently tapering.         -   Base.—Fused.         -   Texture.—Glabrous all surfaces.         -   Length.—3 cm.         -   Width.—6 mm.         -   Color.—When opening: Color, upper surface: Yellow-Orange             15B. Color, under surface: Yellow-Orange 15B. Fully opened:             Color, upper surface: Yellow-Orange 15B. Color, under             surface: Yellow-Orange 15B. Color Changes when Aging: Near             RHS Red-36C all surface.         -   Throat color.—Near RHS Orange-Red 35B.         -   Tube color.—Near RHS Yellow-Orange 22C, interior and             exterior. -   Lateral petaloids (staminal petaloids):     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite.         -   Quantity.—2.         -   Length.—3.0 cm.         -   Width.—1.2 cm.         -   Shape.—Elongated ovate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Truncate.         -   Texture.—Glabrous all surfaces. Color: When opening: Upper             surface: Yellow-Orange 16D. Under surface: Yellow-Orange             16D. Fully opened: Upper surface: Yellow-Orange 16D. Under             surface: Yellow Orange 16D. -   Labellum:     -   -   Placement.—At the apex of the flower.         -   Quantity.—1, fused only at lowermost base, forming the             appearance of 2.         -   Length.—3.0 cm.         -   Width.—1.8 cm.         -   Shape.—Overall spatulate, 2 ovate lobes, fused only at very             base.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Truncate.         -   Texture.—Glabrous all surfaces. Color: When opening: Upper             surface: Yellow-Orange 16D. Under surface: Yellow-Orange             16D. Fully opened: Upper surface: Yellow-Orange 16D. Under             surface: Yellow-Orange 16D. -   Sepals:     -   -   Quantity.—1, covering bud, then shriveling.         -   Length.—2.8 cm.         -   Width.—6 mm.         -   Shape.—Ligulate.         -   Apex.—Gently tapering.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture.—Glabrous and fleshy all surfaces.         -   Color.—Upper Surface: Near Yellow-Green 145D. Under Surface:             Near Yellow-Green 145D. -   Bud: (near opening):     -   -   Shape.—Cylindrical ovate.         -   Length.—Approximately 5 cm.         -   Diameter.—Approximately 7 mm.         -   Texture.—Glabrous.         -   Color.—Near Yellow 13B. -   Peduncle:     -   -   Length.—Average 1.5 cm.         -   Width.—Average 1.0 cm.         -   Strength.—Very strong.         -   Texture.—Glabrous.         -   Color.—Near RHS Yellow-Green 144C. -   Pedicels:     -   -   Length.—Approximately 1.5 cm.         -   Width.—Approximately 1.0 cm.         -   Strength.—Moderate.         -   Texture.—Glabrous.         -   Color.—Near RHS Yellow-Green 144C.         -   Angle.—Upright. -   Floral bracts:     -   -   Quantity.—2.         -   Length.—Approximately 3.2 cm.         -   Width.—Approximately 2.0 cm.         -   Strength.—Moderate.         -   Texture.—Glabrous, leathery.         -   Color.—Near RHS Green 143C. -   Fragrance: Moderately weak.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Stamens: (Androecium).     -   -   Number.—Average 1.         -   Filament length.—Approximately 3.0 cm.         -   Filament color.—Near RHS Orange-Red 35B.         -   Anther length.—8 mm.         -   Anther color.—Near RHS Orange-Red 35A.         -   Anther shape.—Elliptic.         -   Pollen color.—Near RHS Yellow-White 158D.         -   Pollen quantity.—Scant. -   Pistil: (Gynoecium).     -   -   Number.—1.         -   Length.—Approximately 3.5 cm.         -   Style length.—3 cm.         -   Style color.—Yellow 11D.         -   Stigma.—Shape: Oblate. Color: Near Green 143B. Ovary Color:             Near RHS Yellow 11D.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Fruits and seeds: Not observed. -   Temperature tolerance: Tolerates temperatures from approximately     2° C. to at least 40° C. -   Disease/pest resistance: Observed resistance to Ginger blast     (Pyricularia zingiberi). Neither resistance nor susceptibility to     other normal diseases Hedychium observed. Neither resistance nor     susceptibility to normal pests of Hedychium observed. -   Drought tolerance: No tolerance for drought. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Hedychium plant named ‘CHEN XI’ as herein illustrated and described. 